Tube structure



Sept 7, 1965 K. G. MICHEL 3,204,835

TUBE STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 4, me?.

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Aff/wim #maf/wow BY 5MM 367W United States Patent C) 3,204,835 TUBESTRUCTURE Kenneth George Michel, Far Hls, NJ., assigner to American CanCompany, New York, NX., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Bec. 4, 1962,Ser. No. 242,149 4 Claims. (Cl. Z22- 541) The present invention relatesbroadly to dispensing containers, and is more particularly concernedwith a collapsible tube having an upstanding neck portion formed with adispensing orifice initially sealed by an integral, removable andrestorable closure featuring in the reclosed position both improvedsealing capabilities and a relative low profile resistive of accidentaldislodgment.

It is known in the art to provide a metal or plastic container with ahead portion surmounting a relatively slender integral stem or likemeans which is severed or twisted to break the connection and expose thedispensing orifice to permit the expulsion of product therethrough. In astructure of this general character it is also possible to invert thestem closure after the integral connection has been broken, for purposesof reclosing the container.

While such a container provides a package of considerable convenience tothe user, the closure stem necessarily after location in a resealableposition extends a substantial distance upwardly or outwardly from thecontainer neck and is thus exposed to accidental dislodgment withconsequent leakage problems. Then too, the use of a probe-like portionprovided by the upper end of the closure stem for purposes of re-sealingcan readily be appreciated to be somewhat of a compromise, whichheretofore has been considered necessary in order to obtain the benefitsof a relatively low cost twist-off package.

It is accordingly an important aim of the present invention to provide acontainer for dispensing applications provided with a neck portionhaving an orifice initially by a break-away connection integrated with aclosure member, the latter member being so shaped and constructed Vas tobe substantially entirely received upon the container neck portion intightsealing relation therewith after fracture of the integralconnection and inversion of the closure member from its initialposition.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of a collapsibletube of the foregoing character in which the closure member is ofcap-like configuration and is equipped with means on the underside ofthe roof portion receivable in the dispensing orifice to effectivelyclose and seal the same when the closure is inverted.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a dispensingcontainer having the features stated, and which further may berelatively simply molded of either plastics or metallic materials.

A further object of the present invention lies in the provision of acollapsible tube constructed as above, and wherein the closure member inits initially sealed position is disposed in closely spaced relationwith respect to the end wall of the tube so as to reduce the likelihoodof fracture of the integral connection by other than a twisting orrotational torque.

A still further object of this invention lies in the provision of adispensing container which comprises a exible container body having aneck portion provided with a dispensing orifice, an inverted cap memberintegral with the neck portion and sealing the orifice therein, andmeans on the cap member for resealing the orifice after fracture of theintegral connection and location of the cap member upon the neck portionin a normal position thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentas the description proceeds, par- 324,835 Patented Sept. 7, 1965ticularly when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, with a portion thereofbeing taken in section, of .a collapsible dispensing containerconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the closure memberafter fracture from the container neck and after being seated upon theneck in scalable relation therewith; and

FIGURE 3 is a view taken in the manner of the preceding views, butillustrating a further illustrative embodiment of the invention.

A first exemplary form of collapsible dispensing container embodying thenovel concepts of this invention is designated in its entirety inFIGURES 1 and 2 by the numeral It), and may be seen to comprise atubular body 12 which may be constructed of a metal such as lead oraluminum, or which may bea laminate of various combinations of paper,foil and plastics or a plastic of single wall construction asillustrated. Presently in the family of th-ermoplastics `a polyoletinsuch as polyethylene is preferred, although other suitable materials arepolyamides, polyesters, vinyl polymers and copolymers, polymers ofvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, and polypropylene and its copolymers.

While not shown, the tube body 12 is sealed at one end, preferably usingheat and pressure, while the opposite end of the container has formedthereon a headpiece generally designated by the numeral I4. Desirably aninjection molding technique is employed to form the headpiece and fusethe same to the tube body, and the teachings in Strahm Patent No.2,673,374 are preferably followed. It is, however, contemplated thatcompression molding may be used, and alternatively, the headpiece 14 maybe separately molded and heat sealed to the tube body.

The headpiece 14 in the illustrative embodiment presented includes asloping breast portion 16 terminating in an opstanding neck portion f8provided with a transverse wall 20 having a central dispensing orifice22 initially sealed by a relatively short length stem portion 24integral with roof portion 26 of an inverted cap or closure member 2S.

It is important to note at this point that by provision of an integralstem 24 which is of minimum length, and by utilization of a cap withroof portion 26 which overlies the tube wall portion 20 in closelyspaced relalCe ' tion therewith, it is extremely difiicult if notimpossible to break the connector 24 by a canting action. In otherwords, an intentional twisting or rotational torque is required, andthereby an inadvertent exposure of the orifice 22 by canting or tippingthe cap 28 is avoided.

The cap member 28 in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2 further featuresalong the inner surface of its roof or wall portion 25 a centralembossment 30 receivable in the dispensing orifice 22 when the cap isinverted to a normal or after-use position in the manner of FIGURE 2.The embossrnent is shown as generally dome-shaped, although obviouslyother configurations are suitable, as will particularly be hereinafternoted when reference is made to FIGURE 3.

The cap or closure 28 also embodies interiorly thereof an annular groove32 which interfits with an annular bead 34 on the tube neck portion i8to provide a snapin-place connection therewith, as shown in FIGURE 2. Athreaded connection could of course be employed, and as will also benoted in connection with FIGURE 3, such interengaging means as describedmay at times be eliminated.

To utilize the container of FIGURE 1, the integral connection 24 betweenthe container neck 18 and cap 28 is broken by use of a knife orequivalent means, or by application of a rotational or twisting torqueto collar or skirt portion 36 of the cap 2S. The orifice 22 is therebyexposed, permitting expulsion of the tube contents by application of asqueezing force to the tube body. To then seal or close the orifice, thecap is inverted to the position of FIGURE 2 and snapped into engagementin seated relation upon the tube neck by interaction of the groove 32and bead 34.

It will -be observed that when the cap member 28 is seated in its'normalor resealing position of FIGURE 2 a relatively low profile is presented,since the cap substantially entirely surroundsr thetube neck portion 18.Importantly, in contrast with the current slender stem twist-olfdevices, there is essentially no likelihood of the closure 28 beinginadvertently dislodged or knocked from its resealing position. Further,less storage space is required, and also a package can be providedhaving cap stand-up capabilities merely by use of a score line or likemeans on the integral connection 24 flush with the top surface of thetube end Wall, so that after fracture there does not remain the stubportion 18a appearing in FIGURE 2.

The latter View also reveals that by applicants invention at least twoeffective sealing areas are provided, as compared with the simple probeof the prior art. First, the dome-like protuberance or embossment is inwedgetight relation in the dispensing orifice 22, being held there bythe snap action of the bead and groove arrangement. Second, the innerdiameter of the cap skirt portion 36 is so sized with respect to theouter diameter of the tube neck portion 18 as to be in frictional linecontact therewith, assuring that even if in some very remotecircumstance product by-passes the seal at 22 and. 30, it cannot travelbetween the cap skirt and tube neck.`

As earlier noted, the important advantages of a'loW profile and improvedseal can be attained by variations in the structure of FIGURES l and 2.This is shown by the illustrative embodiment of FIGURE 3, wherein acontainer is generally designated at Si), and in common with the earlierdescribed form, includes a body portion 52 mounting a headpiece 54comprised of a sloping breast portion 56 integral with an upstandingneck portion 58, shown as being devoid of bead or thread means on theouter diameter thereof. The neck portion at its outer or upper end isprovided with a transverse 'wall 60 centrally passaged at 62 to providea dispensing orifice.

Integral with the end wall 60 and initially sealing the oriiice 62therein is a stub or stem portion 64 surmounted by roof or wall portion66 of an inverted cap or closure member 68. The closure member of FIGURE3 features generally centrally of the inner surface of its wall portion66 a plug portion or generally cylindrical embossment 70 sized to have aslightly greater diameter than the orifice 62 so as to be in tightsealing contact therewith when the integral connection 64 is fracturedand the cap 68 located in its normal or resealing position. In thisconnection, it will be noted that the inner diameter of skirt or collarportion 76 of the cap member 68 is to provide a relatively tightfriction fit, and thereby a secondary seal, when the cap is seated onthe tube neck with its plug portion 70 tightly and substantiallyentirely received in the orifice 62.

It is believed manifest from the description just provided, and fromthat set forth in connection with FIG- URES l and 2, as to the manner inwhich the embodiment of FIGURE 3 functions. After fracture of theintegral connector 64 and seating of the cap 68 upon the tube neck 58 insubstantially entirely surrounding relation therewith, a relatively lowprofile is again provided, producing the advantages earlier mentioned.Additionally, a double seal is featured, first between the probe 7i? andorilice 62, and secondly between the frictionally engageable tube neckand cap skirt portion.

Of course, in either exemplary form of the invention the outer diameterof the cap skirt can be serrated, scalloped or similarly embossed toimprove the grip action and for aesthetic reasons. Also for improvedappearances, the outer surface of the cap wall on roof 26 or 616 may bedecorated. These and other changes mentioned herein, as well as otherobvious modifications, can of course be effected without departing fromthe novel concepts of this invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible one piece dispensing container, comprising:

a liexible container body having a neck portion including an end Wallprovided with a dispensing orifice; an inverted caip member havin-g aroof portion overlying said end wall in Vclosely spaced relation;

a relatively short length solid stem member integral With said roofportion on the outer surface thereof and to said end wall in sealingrelation with said orifice;

and ian internal emlbossment on said cap member receivable -within andentering into said orifice for lresealing said orifice `after fractureof `said stem member @from said orifice 'and location iof said capmember upon said neck portion in a normal position thereon,substantial-ly entirely surrounding said neck portion.

v2. A collapsible dispensing container as defined in claim 1, in lwhichthe embossment has `a Alarger diameter than the orifice and is entirelyreceived therein when the cap member is in its normal position.

3. A collapsible dispensing ycontainer yas defined in claim `1, whereinsaid cap member includes a peripheral `skirt and interengaging rneansare provided interiorly of said skirt and exteriorly on the neck portionfor maintaining the embossment in sealing relation with respect to thedispensing orifice.

'4. A collapsible dispensing container as defined in claim i1 in which`said stern member, integral with said roof portion .and isaid end wall,is adapted to be fractured in the plane of the outer surface of said endwall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,392,195 l/ 46Shonnard 222--541 X 2, 831,615 4/ 5 8 Sherb ondy 222-514 X FOREIGNPATENTS 1,241,061 4/ 60 France.

LOUIS DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE ONE PIECE DISPENSING CONTAINER, COMPRISING: A FLEXIBLECONTAINER BODY HAVING A NECK PORTION INCLUDING AN END WALL PROVIDED WITHA DISPENSING ORIFICE; AN INVERTED CAP MEMBER HAVING A ROOF PORTIONOVERLYING SAID END WALL IN CLOSELY SPACED RELATION; A RELATIVELY SHORTLENGTH SOLID STEM MEMBER INTEGRAL WITH SAID ROOF PORTION ON THE OUTERSURFACE THEREOF AND TO SAID END WALL IN SEALING RELATION WITH SAIDORIFICE;